Are You and Your Child Halloween Ready?

Do you ever do something on the spur of the moment? I did today. I guess I exercised my right to be an impulsive buyer, something I try not to do very often. I went to the store for three items and came out with two bags full. Has this ever happened to you?

I had not yet given any thought to the holiday that occurs at the end of this month until I saw the Halloween display. So I decided to stock up on Halloween treats!

When my kids were little I would have already started decorating the house and making their costumes by this time. Now I have all I can do to carve a pumpkin. The one thing I must do is have ‘treats’ at the ready, and lots of them because my husband is a retired school teacher and his students still show up in droves.

As I work with parents of children on the autism spectrum, it’s obvious to me that Halloween is experienced very differently in their households. Holidays such as these can cause sensory overload in any child!

Overstimulation comes not just from the sugar high that the sweet treats bring but also from the television advertising, the parties, the decorations, and the costumes, etc. All the anticipation can have a culminating impact – and positive it may not always be.

And besides, Halloween can be downright scary to many young children. Take my young adult sons fooling around in costume. They may look silly to you and I but your three year old child may have another opinion and run away from them out of fear.

When you consider all the stimulation that can occur around this holiday it’s always a good idea to prepare your child in advance and plan just how much you think your child can handle at this developmental stage in his or her life.

So, I’m curious. What do you think your child’s tolerance level for this holiday is? I’m sure you can make an educated guess but unfortunately, an accurate prediction is impossible.

Despite last year’s ‘trick or treat’ experience or lack of it, you can never know for sure where your child’s head will be at this October 31st unless you take the time to find out.

There is a time and place for being spontaneous and acting upon impulse but some things require planning to flow smoothly. That is exactly why this parenting coach recommends you start now to plan and prepare for this annual fall event.

I may not have consciously planned to buy Halloween treats today but I can say that I now rest easier knowing that I’m prepared. And, I can promise you that preparing your child in advance for this holiday will be the best ‘treat’ you can give yourself and your child.

Will you allow your child to participate in Halloween festivities this year and on what level?

If so, what are your biggest worries?

Please feel free to share any concerns with me and I’ll be happy to ‘treat’ you with some advice.